Kilted Saffa to start in U20 6N
One would expect England to continue to win well with only Ireland looking likely to dethrone them in the next round of Under-20 Six Nations action.
In team news, South African-born Ospreys halfback Matt Torrance will start for the Scottish side.
Fixtures, Round Three:
Scotland vs France at Netherdale
Ireland vs Italy
England vs Wales
Previous results:
Round One
England vs Scotland, 59-3
Ireland vs Wales, 11-6
France vs Italy, 19-5
Round Two
England vs Italy, postponed
Wales vs Scotland, 28-15
Ireland vs France, 13-12
Scotland vs France
Even at home in Galashiels, Scotland will find the French tough. They were thrashed by England and then were well beaten by Wales.
The Scottish scrumhalf Scott Steele is required to play for Leicester Tigers and off the bench comes Matt Torrance, born in Durban of a Scottish father and a Welsh mother, recruited by Ospreys and playing club rugby in Wales but opting to play for the land of his father.
Fabrice Catalan drops out and Bastien Fuster comes in off the bench, which leads to some shuffling. Enzo Selponi and Tom Ecochard come into the half backs and there are several changes in the pack. The whole front row is replaced, Johan Aliouat comes into lock and Alban Placide onto the flank.
The teams:
Scotland: 15 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Heriot’s), 14 Jamie Farndale (Edinburgh Accies), 13 Robbie Fergusson (Ayr), 12 Finn Russell (Falkirk), 11 Michael Crawley (Boroughmuir), 10 Harry Leonard Edinburgh – captain), 9 Matt Torrance (Ospreys), 8 Jamie Swanson (Boroughmuir), 7 Will Bordill (Sale Sharks), 6 Mitch Eadie (Bristol), 5 Jonny Gray (Hamilton), 4 Adam Sinclair (Stirling County), 3 Alex Allan (Loughborough Students), 2 George Turner (Stewart’s Melville), 1 Jamie Bhatti (Stirling County).
Replacements: 16 Russell Anderson (Gala), 17 Gavin Robertson (Dundee HSFP), 18 Callum Maguire (Berwick), 19 Andrew Redmayne (Dundee HSFP), 20 Callum Reid (Edinburgh Accies), 21 Murray McConnell (Glasgow Warriors), 22 Jack Bradford (Nottingham), 23 Tom Steven (Glasgow Hawks).
France: 15 Maxime Payen (Toulouse), 14 Bastien Fuster (Bayonne), 13 Jonathan Danty (Stade Français), 12 Darly Domvo (Bordeaux-Bègles), 11 Yohann Artru (Montpellier), 10 Enzo Selponi (Montpellier), 9 Tom Ecochard (Perpignan), 8 Karl Chateau (Toulouse – captain), 7 Julien Kazubek (Clermont), 6 Alban Placine (Biarritz), 5 Johan Aliouat (Montpellier), 4 Bastien Chalureau (Toulouse), 3 Kevin Goze (Grenoble), 2 Jean-Charles Fidinde (Clermont), 1 Florian Fresia (Toulon).
Replacements: 16 Carbou, 17 Romain Taofifenua, 18 Jefferson Poirot (Brive), 19 Paul Jedrasiak (Clermont), 20 Jimmy Yobo (Aurillac), 21 Eric Escande (Montpellier), 22 Ilian Perraux (Montpellier), 23 Kelian Galletier (Montpellier).
Date: Friday, 24 February
Kick-off: 19.30
Venue: Netherdale
Referee: Giuseppe Vivarini (Italy)
Assistant referees: Filippo Bertelli (Italy), Giacomo Serchiani (Italy)
England vs Wales
The England starting XV is the same that would have taken to the field against Italy in Rovigo two weeks ago before the game was called off due to a frozen pitch.
Leeds flank Chris Walker captains the side, and there are first starts for Dom Barrow, Tommy Bell, Josh Bassett, Sam Hill and Anthony Watson. At the other end of the spectrum, fullback Ben Ransom plays in his twelfth successive Under-20 match.
England Under-20 head coach Rob Hunter said: “We’re looking forward to seeing the guys play. It’s a shame that the Italy match was postponed, for we had prepared really well, but we’ve now had two good weeks training with the guys and we’re excited to see some fresh faces take to the field against Wales.
“It was a close game against the Welsh last season and they’ve made a good start to this season’s Six Nations. they’ll present a stern challenge – every time we play them it’s a physical game, and from what we’ve seen they like to run the ball so it should be an entertaining match.”
Wales coach Danny Wilson has made just one change from the team that beat Scotland in Colwyn Bay a fortnight ago, for the clash against championship favourites England. Harry Robinson, who was called into the Six Nations senior training squad, will make his first start for the Under-20s this season. Robinson was released by the senior squad allowing Wilson to use the dynamic wing in his U20 line-up.
Wilson said: “Harry has been training with the senior squad and it was a natural step for him to come and play for us when Warren made him available.
“We have been very impressed with him in training, he has a great attitude and as we’ve seen recently, he’s a live wire who quite often can make something happen out of nothing out on the field.
“That being said, Iolo Evans did very well against Scotland and we’ve made the decision to move him to the bench and give Harry a go as we’re looking towards the World Cup and different combinations.”
While Harry Robinson comes in for Evans, only two replacements remain – Thomas Davies and Jordan Williams – as several players make a return from injuries.
“We have a couple of boys returning from injury who are named on the bench such as Dan Baker, who has had a few games for Swansea over the past few weeks and Samson Lee who has recovered from a knee injury, which gives us a chance to look at all players, again with a forward view of the World Cup preparations,” added Wilson.
“On paper England look like a powerful forward pack and a strong back line that’s full of individual sharp runners.
“They are the team to beat in this competition so far, after they showed what they can do when they put 50 points on Scotland. They have a lot of experience with many of the boys playing Premiership rugby so we’re expecting a physical match on Friday.”
The teams:
England: 15 Ben Ransom (Saracens), 14 Anthony Watson (London Irish), 13 Charlie Walker (Harlequins), 12 Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs), 11 Josh Bassett (Bedford Blues), 10 Tommy Bell (Sale Sharks), 9 Dan Robson (Gloucester), 8 Jack Clifford (Harlequins), 7 Chris Walker (Leeds Carnegie), 6 Dom Barrow (Leeds Carnegie), 5 George Merrick (Harlequins), 4 Tom Price (Leicester Tigers), 3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), 2 Koree Britton (Gloucester), 1 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs).
Replacements: 16 Scott Spurling (Saracens), 17 Alec Hepburn (London Wasps), 18 Nick Auterac (Saracens), 19 Elliot Stooke (Gloucester), 20 Will Skuse (Bath Rugby), 21 Alex Day (Northampton Saints), 22 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), 23 Marland Yarde (London Irish).
Wales: 15 Ross Jones, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Luke Williams, 12 Cory Allen, 11 Luke Morgan, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Jonathan Evans, 8 Ieuan Jones, 7 Daniel Thomas, 6 Ellis Jenkins, 5 Rhodri Hughes, 4 Matthew Screech, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Kirby Myhill (captain), 1 Rob Evans.
Replacements: 16 Jamie Sollis, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Samson Lee, 19 Jack Jones, 20 Dan Baker, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Jordan Williams, 23 Iolo Evans.
Date: Friday, 24 February
Kick-off: 19.45
Venue: Twickenham Stoop
Referee: Laurent Cardona (France)
Assistant referees: Alexandre Ruiz (France), Sébastien Herbert (France)
TMO: Bruno Bessot (France)
Ireland vs Italy
Ireland are having a good run and should be too strong for Italy whose first match was postponed to last week and whose second match if yet to be played.
Coach, Mike Ruddock has made a number of changes to the side that beat France. Tadgh Beirne makes his first start of the season to partner Ian Henderson in the second row with a new look back row seeing Jordan Coughlan partner Conor Gilsean and Jack Conan.
Changes to the backs see Foster Horan named in the wing with Kieran Marmion returning to the scrumhalf position.
Ruddock said: “We are looking forward to this week’s test and in particular looking forward to backing up our two previous displays.
“We achieved victory in our last two games because we have outworked the opposition and expect the same this week along with a quality display of skills.”
Italy coach Craig Green have made two changes from the team beaten by France. Alex Morsellino replaces Leonardo Sarto who is injured and Vittorio Marazzi is preferred to Ruben Riccioli in the back row.
The teams:
Ireland: 15 Shane Layden (Buccaneers), 14 Conor Finn (Buccaneers), 13 Chris Farrell (Dungannon), 12 JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians), 11 Foster Horan (Lansdowne), 10 Paddy Jackson (Dungannon) (captain), 9 Kieran Marmion (Corinthians), 8 Jack Conan (Old Belvedere), 7 Jordan Coghlan (UCD), 6 Conor Gilsenan (UCD), 5 Tadgh Beirne (Lansdowne), 4 Iain Henderson (Queen’s University), 3 Peter Reilly (Lansdowne), 2 Niall Scannell (Dolphin), 1 Kyle McCall (Ballynahinch).
Replacements: 16 James Rael (Garryowen), 17 Des Merrey (Clontarf)), 18 Jake Cawley (Old Belvedere), 19 Daniel Qualter (Buccaneers), 20 Aaron Conneely (Corinthians), 21 Luke McGrath (UCD), 22 Cathal Marsh (Dublin University), 23 Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins).
Italy: 15 David Odiete (Reggio), 14 Angelo Esposito (Ruggers Tarvisium), 13 Michele Campagnaro(Mirano 1947), 12 Andrea Bettin (Roccia Rubano), 11 Alex Morsellino (Petrarca Padova), 10 Riccardo Della Rossa (Marchiol Mogliano), 9 Guido Calabrese (San Gregorio Catania), 8 Alessio Zdrilich (Ospitaletto), 7 Federico Conforti (Petrarca Padova), 6 Vittorio Marazzi (Sertori Sondrio), 5 Matteo Ferro (Femi-CZ Vea Rovigo), 4 Alfio Luca Mammana (L’Aquila), 3 Antonio Brandolini (L’Aquila), 2 Giovanni Maistri (Cammi Calvisano) (captain), 1 Sami Drissi (UR Capitolina).
Replacements: 16 Luca Conti (Ur Capitolina), 17 Luca Scarsini, 18 Pietro Ceccarelli (Mantovani Lazio), 19 Ruben Riccioli (Mantovani Lazio), 20 Andrea De Marchi (Femi-Cz Vea Rovigo), 21 Edoardo Padovani (Marchiol Mogliano), 22 John Apperley (Rugby Reggio), 23 Filippo Guarducci (Marchiol Mogliano).
Date: Friday, 24 February
Kick-off: 19.05
Venue: Dubarry Park, Athlone
Referee: Cammy Rudkin (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Rob Dickson (Scotland), Adrian Graves (Scotland)
TMO: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
